Lake Park's improvement continuesLancers battle top players in pool play at Knights Invitational

By Patrick Z. McGavin

MOUNT PROSPECT -- However frequently the scoreboard goes against them, Lake Park is never going to be accused of taking the easy way out or finding the path of least resistance. This is a team of high character who must be given its due.

Already playing in the state’s toughest conference and going up against nationally-rated powers like Naperville North, Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley, the Lancers have not shirked away from formidable challenges.

The opening night of pool play in the Knights Invitational offered another sobering reminder.

“Our coach tells us there is no growth in comfort,” junior Lake Park midfielder Bri McAloon said. “Playing some of the best teams in the state and a very competitive conference like the (DuPage Valley Conference), every game is an opportunity. You learn something from a loss. You learn something from a win.”

Lake Park demonstrated toughness, competitiveness and improved play but fell victim to the extraordinary scoring prowess of Illinois State recruit Sarah LaFayette as the Lancers fell 2-0 to University (Normal) in pool play action Friday night

Lake Park (1-12-0) was part of the second group of pool play with no. 24 Lake Zurich and University. The Lancers had to face Lake Zurich right out of the gate, a team riding an eight-game winning streak. The Bears have one of the best players in the state in senior forward Rebecca Kubin.

Kubin scored three goals in the Bears’ 4-0 victory.

The pool play games consisted of three-consecutive 40-minute games played without a break. The Lancers drew the toughest assignment -- without a break they had to play a fresh University squad.

“I am not sure if our girls knew who we were matched up against in our first game,” Lake Park coach Sean Crosby said. “We did not want to focus too much on the opponents. We are still building. We are still developing our own team. Our focus is on getting better and trying to reach the goals we are trying to reach.

“I am not sure we were aware how good that Lake Zurich team is. That probably put our mood down a little bit, and probably that had us coming out a little slow to start the second game.”

LaFayette is the last person not to be ready to play against. The senior is a human highlight reel for the Pioneers. She scored her team's goals in the first and eighth minute and was named the Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match.

She has a staggering 31 goals in the Pioneers’ first 13 games. She is approaching a top 10 position in state history. She has scored 142 goals in her career: 25 as a freshman; 30 as a sophomore; and 56 as a junior.

“We play a one front (forward), and we like to play a lot of through-balls,” LaFayette said. “I like to play with my speed a lot. I like to take keepers on. I like to take defenders on. We saw them play (against Lake Zurich) and saw who their strong players were and knew who we wanted to attack.

“That knowledge was very good for us.”

Her goal at the opening staggered the Lancers.

“My head was not in it,” Lake Park sophomore keeper Sarah Yochem said. “I think it was difficult to switch from one team when we were finally getting used to their playing style.”

Unlike the Lake Zurich game, with Lake Park struggling to assimilate any kind of offense, the Lancers overcame the slow start to play even with the Pioneers (7-5-1). Lake Park generated some quality chances that forced the Pioneers to counter.

Two talented juniors, McAloon and Lauren Tarchala playing in the middle, achieved far greater possession time and put together a more fluid and steady attack.

“We do have the ability to get up and use our opportunities to get into the final (scoring) third,” McAloon said. “Once that mentality clicked in, we sat with them and we were competing. You have to be ready for every play. You have to shift back, communicate and work as a team. We have droughts sometimes. It is an uphill battle. But it is on us.”

One immediate consequence of the greater possession time was the team limited LaFayette’s scoring chances. That counted for something.

Against Lake Zurich, Yochem was often exceptional. Kubin scored three goals, but Yochem prevented her from even greater numbers, twice stopping point-blank balls and another time aggressively moving from the box to make a legitimate tackle against Kubin that stopped a breakaway.

“We have this thing, or rule, on the team that we do not look up the team we are playing,” Yochem said. “I used to do that but not anymore. I just go out there without knowing anything about the other players. Each team is different. Each shot is different. That is how I reflect on it.

“It only takes a few seconds to see who the best players are. It was obvious in the first game no. 11 (Kubin) was very fast and dangerous. The same with this game. I could tell right away (LaFayette) was very talented and very good.”

Despite the outcome, Lake Park had sharp moments to point toward a brighter future.

“It was a hard transition to go from one team to another like that,” Tarchala said. “We got more comfortable, and we got more familiar with (University).”

McAloon and Tarchala each put two shots on frame, suggesting an important next step in the team’s evolution and underlining a quiet though consistent improvement game to game.

“We tried to push numbers up, and I think we were a ltitle more aggressive in the attack,” Crosby said. “I think the girls combined better, and we had time in the midfield to connect passes and time to develop the attack. It was much more enjoyable to see that. We are getting chances. We just have to put one in the back of the net.”

Lake Park is admirably recognizing its growing pains instead of ignoring them, a process that makes charting a different path more realistic.

“Each time we try to keep positive and work through our frustrations and our adversity,” McAloon said. “Mistakes are made, but it is building off of that and learning from the game that is most important.”